'Beth.'

Beth groaned at the back of her throat. She stirred, then woke.

Daryl was propped up on his side, looking at her; the room around them was dark still, and Beth had to blink a few times to focus.

'You alright?' He said gruffly.

Beth frowned, confused.

'You've been tossing an' turning, moaning.' He said.

'Have I?' Beth asked; her voice felt raw in her throat. A low pain ran it's way across her lower stomach and she furrowed her face against it.

'Yeah.' Daryl looked steadily at her. 'Yer in pain. Is it the baby?'

Beth rolled onto her back and rubbed her hands along the lower half of her bump. The feeling had subsided, but it had been akin to a low level period cramp.

'I guess.' She said roughly. 'My back has been hurting for days. Guess I can't find any relief even in sleep.'

Daryl looked at her for a moment.

'I think we should make the move tomorrow.' He said. It had been two days since Rick's announcement.

Beth rubbed her eyes in the dark.

'Okay.' She said.

'I have t' go t'the Kingdom, get some supplies.' He said. 'But you should get going w'out me. I'll be in Alexandria by nightfall. Before, hopefully.'

Beth studied his face in the dark. She didn't want to do the journey without him. She wasn't even sure she wanted to do the journey at all. She sighed.

'Maggie an' Glenn'll go wi'ya.' Daryl said.

Slowly, Beth nodded against the pillow in the dark room.

'Alright.' She said.

–

Beth knew she had slept badly as soon as she woke up; there was a pain in her back, and her head felt heavy.

She blinked herself awake and pushed herself up, groaning a little at the ache in her back as she moved.

The bed beside hers was empty - the cover was thrown back, but almost neatly, as if Daryl had decided last minute to try and make the bed before he left. It made her smile a little.

Hoisting herself up from the bed she rose to dress. The baby gave her a hard, sharp kick and she stopped as the pain made itself known. She paused, her hands inches away from her protruding stomach, as if pressing them into the flesh would calm it. She waited for a moment, seeing if any more kicks were coming, but none did. The baby just wanted to make itself known, apparently.

'Good morning to you, too.' Beth smiled, a little breathless. She felt a twinge in her lower back and a flutter by her belly button, but thankfully no more kicks.

Beth could hear the voices of her family in the room outside, so she dressed and headed out to join them.

'Morning.' Maggie said. 'You look pale. Did you sleep okay?'

Beth shrugged.

'As okay as you can whilst heavily pregnant. Have you seen Daryl?'

'He headed out about an hour ago.' Glenn answered. 'Him and Rick are going to The Kingdom before Alexandria.'

'Yeah he told me last night' Beth said. 'I was hoping to see him before he left though.'

'I think they wanted to go early and make good time.' Glenn said, but he was looking at her in an almost pitying way. Beth didn't like it much, so she put on a smile and nodded.

'You want some breakfast?' Maggie asked.

Beth eyed the table a little wearily. The baby felt restless this morning and her insides felt unsettled.

'Not right now.' She said.

'Make sure you eat before we leave, though.' Maggie said. 'You and baby need strength.'

Beth nodded, grimacing a little as said baby repositioned itself at the mention of it.

Maggie and Glenn left after a little while to help the others gather all of their belongings. Beth sat at the table a little longer, worrying at her lower lip; so much had happened since she has last stepped inside those gates, and she wondered what it would look like now. Would it still feel like home? A lot of her reservations rested with a single person – someone she had not seen since they had won their battle. As she sat alone at the table, and idea began to form in her tired brain, and the more she thought on it, the more she realised she needed to do it.

The sun was almost at its highest point in the sky by the time Beth felt ready to leave. They had been at the Hilltop for a few weeks and whilst Beth had arrived with no possessions, she had managed to accumulate some over time. The trailer has been small, and cramped, but it had served as a good home for them whilst everything else burned away. She would always be grateful to that, whenever she thought back on the small, protective space.

She left the trailer, closing the door firmly behind her, and began to walk over to the back of the house. It was hot, and her back complained as she moved, but she kept going.

Behind the house was a coal cellar that had been used to hold preserves until recently; now it housed the one person Beth needed to see. As she drew near, she saw the guards outside of it. They looked relatively relaxed as they chatted to one another, and it almost put Beth at ease.

'Hi,' she said, stopping before them.

'Hi.' One said, looking at her as if she had just appeared out of no where. On second thoughts, maybe she ought to suggest a stronger protection to someone.

'Do you mind if I go inside?' She asked. 'I – I need to speak with him.'

The guards looked at one another.

'He is allowed visitors.' One said to the other.

The other nodded.

'Five minutes.' He said. 'And don't get too close.'

Beth nodded as one of the guards began to unlock the several chains that crossed the door; she waited patiently.

The door opened outward and Beth peered down into the darkness – it looked pretty foreboding. Taking a breath of the fresh, outside summer air, Beth stepped through the door and began down the shallow stone steps that led her underground.

It was stuffy and oppressive inside as she stepped down onto the concrete floor, her boots echoing around the room; it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim surroundings, but once they had, she moved over to where bars had been erected across the room.

Behind them, a figure pushed himself up from a bed and stepped into the light.

'Beth.' Negan said.

'Hi.' Beth said.

Negan grinned at her; the bandages around his throat had been removed, but Beth could just make out the puckered flesh of the scar.

'Well look at you.' He said. 'You must be just about ready to burst.'

Beth did not reply.

'To what do I owe the pleasure?' He asked.

Beth took a breath of the musty air.

'I wanted to tell you that Alexandria has been rebuilt. We're moving back.' She said.

Negan chuckled, shaking his head.

'Is that so?' He asked. 'Alright then.'

Beth let the rest of her sentence hang in the air between them - 'you didn't win.' She didn't have to say it, she knew Negan heard it.

Beth looked at him for a moment, taking in his frame – he looked thinner, paler. Dressed in just a white t-shirt and jeans, he looked less intimidating than before. The devil in leather stripped of his armour.

'I wanted to ask,' Beth said slowly. She swallowed. 'Why?'

'Why?' Negan frowned.

'Why did you do it all.' Beth said, clenching her fists at her side.

Negan sighed; he rubbed a hand across his beard.

'Do you think,' he mused, 'if the tables were turned, and it was Rick on the wrong side of these bars, you would ask him the same thing?'

'No.' Beth said.

'No?' Negan asked. 'Are you sure?'

Beth looked steadily at him as he chuckled.

'Rick has killed. In cold blood, too. We've all done things we're not proud of.' He said. 'It just depends what side you're on.'

Beth wasn't convinced, but she bit.

'You thought you were doing the right thing?' She asked.

Negan shrugged.

'Maybe I went about it wrong.' He said. 'Maybe the power went to my head. But I saved those people. My people. I did what I did to survive. Isn't that all any of us can say?'

Beth wasn't sure.

'Do you regret it?' She asked.

Negan looked steadily at her. His eyes seemed to search hers for a long time. He sighed.

'No.' He said. 'I did what I did. I am who I am. I can't apologise for that.'

'I thought not.' Beth said, and she wondered whether that afforded him a little respect.

'You ask Rick if he regrets the things he's done.' Negan said. 'I reckon you'll get the same answer.'

Beth didn't want to understand him, but something told her he was likely right.

'Or your Daryl, for that matter.' Negan said. 'You know he bashed one of my men's head in with a brick when he escaped, right? That sound like a good man to you?'

Beth didn't answer.

Negan laughed again, a strange, strangled sound in the dark room.

'You're a fire cracker, Blondie.' He said. 'You make up your own mind.'

Beth sighed; he was right there, too. She would make up her own mind. Her own truths.

'Hey.' He said as she turned to leave. 'Good luck with everything, Beth.'

She paused, turning to look at him.

'Thanks.' She said, and she found she felt no bitterness in it.

–

Beth bumped into Marie outside as the other woman had been on her way to see her.

Beth went to greet her, but another twinge in her back caught her off guard, and the hand that had been raising in greeting suddenly went to her back, to push at the pain in the hopes of quelling it.

'Hey,' Marie said, coming to a stop before her. 'You okay?'

Beth nodded and took a few steadying breaths.

'Yeah.' She said. 'I think I slept funny. My back is really hurting today.'

Marie nodded slowly.

'You don't think the baby...' she said.

Beth shook her head, but Marie's suggestion sent a flutter through her chest. It was easy to lose track of days now, but she knew was was nearing the end of her pregnancy. With no exact due date, it was hard to know, but she guessed there couldn't be much longer left. Beth knew the baby would have to be born eventually, but the actual thought of it made her a little queasy.

'It's just my lower back.' She said.

'No contractions?' Marie asked.

Beth shook her head.

'No - I don't think so.' She said.

Marie nodded.

'Okay. Do you want to take a walk?'

Beth nodded.

'I was going to come and see you and Jessie before we left.' She said.

'Alright. I'll come with you.' Marie said, and the two women fell into step beside one another as they headed around the back to the new set up of trailers and make shift houses.

'So you're going back today?' Marie asked.

'Yeah.' Beth said. 'The other's are getting everything together now.' She glanced at the woman by her side. 'What are you doing, Marie? You know there will be a place for you at Alexandria.'

'Oh, I know.' Marie smiled. 'But I'm settled here – for now. Jessie will be here, and I think Frankie wants to stay here. Plus, I'm quite enjoying Tom's company.'

Beth chuckled lightly.

'I thought as much.' She said.

The other woman blushed lightly. It was strange to think of them now, walking amiably beneath the afternoon sun and chatting like old friends, after everything they had been through.

Beth knocked on the thin door to Jessie and Marie's new home once they reached it, and the other woman answered after a moment.

'Beth!' She beamed, standing aside to let the two women in. 'I'm glad you're here! I was going to come see you before you left. How are you feeling?'

Beth pressed a hand to her lower back as she stepped up and over the threshold into the cool room.

'Alright.' She said, but Jessie could see the frown on her face.

'Is your back hurting you?' She asked.

'Yeah.' Beth frowned, rubbing her hands over the now pudgy flesh at the bottom of her spine. She pressed her other hand to the lower half of her belly. 'It was hurting over night. I didn't get much sleep.'

Jessie gently pressed her hand over Beth's on her stomach.

'Are you aching here, too?' She asked softly.

'Yeah.' Beth looked at her, and she felt her mouth go dry.

Jessie smiled at the worried look in her face.

'It sounds to me like it might be starting.' She said.

'I said that, but she hasn't had any contractions.' Marie said.

'It doesn't always start with contractions.' Jessie said. 'Lower back pain and cramps usually suggest things are starting to happen, though.'

Beth tried to swallow.

'I can't - we're going back to Alexandria today - and Daryl isn't here.' Beth stammered.

'Don't panic.' Jessie smiled, leading Beth over to the small sofa, her hand placed firmly on her lower back. 'This is your first baby, and these signs just suggest very early onset. It's likely nothing will actually happen for hours. Maybe days.'

'Days?' Marie asked, looking a little sick herself.

'You've been uncomfortable for weeks already.' Jessie smiled to Beth, who nodded. Other than her sister and Daryl, Jessie had gotten most of Beth's whinges about back ache and twinges the last few weeks. 'It'll just be like that for a bit longer.'

'Then how do I know when it starts?' Beth asked.

Jessie laughed as she fetched them all some tea.

'You'll know when it starts.' She said. 'But you don't need to panic until the contractions start coming fast, okay?'

'What's fast?' Beth asked, her voice shaky. Why was she having a baby at the end of the world?! No classes, no books, no research. She was going into this completely blind.

'Minutes apart.' Jessie said. 'It could take ages or it could happen quickly.'

'I don't know what I'm doing.' Beth choked as an ache rose in her low abdomen, not dissimilar to the period cramps she had not missed the last nine months.

'But your body does.' Jessie took both of Beth's hands in her own and held them firmly. 'Trust your body.'

Beth took a shaky breath and nodded.

'Alright.' She said. 'I'll try.'

–

Beth had been with Jessie for a little over an hour when Maggie came to find her.

'I thought I'd find you here.' She said as Jessie let her in. 'People are starting to load up. We're hoping to set off within the next hour.'

Beth nodded; she had very little, but she wanted to make sure she was ready.

Jessie gently touched Maggie's arm, drawing her attention.

'We think things might be starting.' She said.

Maggie looked at Jessie for a moment, her face a little confused, before realisation seemed to hit. She looked to Beth, noticing the look of mild discomfort on her pale face, and nodded.

Beth had expected her to look panicked, or at least concerned, but instead she set her dark features into a look of determination and nodded.

'Alright.' She said. 'All the more reason to get going.'

Beth smiled; with Maggie's strong sensibility by her side, she could do this.

They headed back around to the trailer they had called home for the past couple of months, and Beth gathered up her bags. Everything she had been gifted for her baby was in one, whilst her own humble belongings were in another. Daryl had taken care of his own things, and most of his life could fit in one rucksack.

An image of a baby stuffed into a bag, little squishy face looking contently over the top came to her, and she giggled. The movement of her diaphragm seemed to upset something and her stomach contracted - she winced.

The pain in her back had been low and dull ever since she had woken up, and the soft cramps in her uterus had joined not long after, a low sickly feeling that had her squirming to try and find release - but this had been different. This had been sharp and sudden, her muscles squeezing for a moment and then releasing. She let out a breath as the release washed over her.

She had felt contractions before, the fake ones that start up sometimes towards the end, but they too had been different. That one was real.

She called to her sister.

Maggie appeared in the doorway after a few beats, a bag slung over her shoulder.

'You need help?' She asked.

'Uh, yeah.' Beth breathed. 'Can you grab those?' She gestured to the bags she had dropped as the pain had started. Now they lay on the floor, and there was no easy way for her to get down there.

Maggie nodded, and bent down with enviable swiftness to grab up the two bags.

'Also- I just had my first contraction.' She said.

Maggie paused as she looked at her.

'Jessie was right then.' She said.

'You weren't sure?' Beth asked.

Maggie shrugged.

'She's had two kids but she's not a doctor.' She said.

Beth nodded, her hand rubbing a circle in her lower stomach in memory of the pain. Those were going to happen again, and they were only going to get more frequent. That thought made her feel dizzy.

'Come on.' Maggie said. 'Let's get loaded up.'

'Maggie,' Beth said before her sister turned to leave. 'Can we not tell anyone about this? I don't want anyone to worry.'

Maggie gave her one simple nod. She was determined to get her sister home and settled in time for this birth.

The two sisters loaded their bags into the trunk of one of the cars; they would ride with Glenn and Enid, who's bags were already packed.

–

Beth settled in the back of the car as best she could; she knew sitting for a prolonged amount of time would be uncomfortable, but she positioned herself as well as she was able to.

Enid went to get in next to her, but Maggie stopped her.

'You ride up front with Glenn.' She said. 'I'll take the back.'

Enid looked at her, but nodded. Glenn caught her before he got in front.

'Everything okay?' He asked.

Maggie looked in at Beth, who was absently rubbing the sides of her stomach.

'Fine.' Maggie said. 'I just want to be in the back with Beth.'

Glenn looked back at his sister in law for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to ask something, then thought better of it. Deep down he probably realised that if he knew the truth, he would only panic.

'Come on,' Maggie smiled at him, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek. 'Let's get home.'

–

The car turned around and headed out towards the open gates; residents of Hill Top were outside, ensuring the road was clear of walkers for them. They waved them off as they passed. Beth noted the other cars – it was not just them who were heading back today. She spotted Carol in the car a little behind them.

Glenn rolled the car gently onto the road and began their journey back to Alexandria, a place Beth had not seen in months. It loomed in her mind like a large, unseen, unknown monster. Uncertainty settled in the pit of her stomach as Hilltop fell away in the distance.

They chatted idly as they drove, Maggie leaning forward between the two front seats on occasion to converse with her husband and Enid. Beth liked Enid, but she didn't know her too well – Maggie seemed to have grown real fond of her, though.

Beth was hit with another contraction a little while after they left, and she sucked in a breath as it hit, fidgeting and breathing out shallowly as it broke. Maggie glanced at her, but didn't say anything.

They had been driving for a while when the car began to chug – black smoke was slowly drifting out from the hood of the car. Glenn groaned and pulled the car to the side of the road.

He climbed out and Maggie followed him, the pair of them heading around to the front of the car.

Beth opened her door and leant out, trying to get some fresh air on her hot face.

Her sister and brother-in-law disappeared from sight as they popped the hood and peered down into the inner workings of the car, smoke billowing up.

'What's going on?' Enid asked, leaning out of her own door.

'Just some trouble with the engine.' Glen said. 'I can fix it. Might take a little while though.'

Beth groaned, swinging her legs out of the door.

Maggie appeared beside the car, leaning down to look at her sister.

'We'll work as quickly as we can.' She said. 'Don't worry.'

Beth just nodded as another contraction hit.

'Piece of shit junk.' Glen cursed.

–

She wasn't sure how long they had been stopped for, but another contraction took over her and she whimpered. Enid spun around in her seat to face her.

'Oh god.' She said. 'Are you in labour?'

Beth looked at the girl, her face furrowed against the pain. Slowly, it subsided.

'Glenn,' Maggie said, her voice urgent. 'How's it going?'

Glenn looked around the hood at his wife, his eyes landing on Beth's sweaty face. He swallowed visibly.

'Yeah.' He said. 'It's going. I'm trying.'

'I know.' Maggie nodded. 'It's just – I think we need to hurry.'

The sound of a car coming up over the hill caused them all to pause, turning to face the sound. Fear pricked at the back of Beth's neck.

Thankfully, it was only Carol, who has not been far behind them. She stopped her car beside them and rolled down her window.

'Car trouble?' She asked.

'Yeah.' Maggie said. 'Carol can you take Beth?'

Carol looked at Beth, but Beth began shaking her head.

'No, Maggie, I need you! I need you too!' She cried.

'Okay, okay, there's room for both of you.' Carol said. 'Come on.'

Maggie helped her sister to her feet and over to the back of Carol's car. She turned to her husband once Beth was settled inside.

'I need to get her back.' Maggie said. 'I'll meet you there, okay?'

'Yeah, sure.' Glenn said, then he lowered his voice slightly. 'Good luck.'

Maggie chuckled.

'Thanks.' She said.

'You doing okay?' Carol asked as she turned her engine back on.

'Yeah.' Beth nodded, taking a deep breath. She was uncomfortable but the pain had died down again.

'Let's go.' Maggie said, climbing into the back with her sister.

–

The rest of the journey was quiet, aside from Beth's occasional groan or whimper. She knew they were not far away from Alexandria now, and she was glad, because the contractions were getting stronger, and lasting longer.

Finally those familiar gates came into view, and Beth thought she could cry at the sight.

They drew to the side, letting the car in, and Beth wondered for a moment who was already here – but that quickly became redundant as another pain ran through her side.

Carol forwent the car park they usually left their cars at and instead drove over the paths through the houses. Beth was grateful. She looked out of the windows as they drove, taking in the houses and the grounds – not all of it had changed. Some of the houses were boarded up, some surrounded in make-shift scaffolding as they underwent repair. There were clear signs of damage throughout the town, trees burnt to nothing more than stumps, houses collapsed in on their selves, but it was no where near as bad as she imagined it had been.

Carol parked the car a little haphazardly out the front of the house that had been their home, and Beth was surprised to see it was still standing well; the front of it held signs of having been burnt, and the lower windows were missing, replaced instead by tarp, but all in all, it looked good. The hubcaps she had left were no longer there, though.

Maggie got out and went to Beth's door, opening it and helping her sister out and on to her feet.

Carol opened the front door and led them in, Beth walking steadily up the front steps.

'Where do you want to go?' Maggie asked her.

Beth stumbled over to the sofa and fell down onto it.

'Just for a moment.' She groaned.

Carol ran her a glass of water and brought it over; Beth sipped tentatively at it.

They sat around for a little while, Beth groaning every now and then as the contractions came. She was aware that this could take a while, so she sipped at her water and tried to ride through them.

Eventually she grew restless, and pushed herself up from the sofa to pace the room. Maggie watched her, hovering over her like she would fall and injure herself. She paused, her hands reaching out to grip the dining table as another wave of pain rolled over her.

'I need Daryl.' She groaned, her eyes squeezing shut.

'He'll be here.' Maggie said.

'How on earth do you know that!' Beth snapped.

Maggie glanced at Carol.

Beth let out a long sigh and straightened up.

'Sorry.' She sighed. 'I'm just – I need him to be here.'

'I know.' Maggie said, coming up to her and gently rubbing circles on her lower back. 'But he said he would be here today. He'll get here.'

'Is there – can anyone contact him?' Beth asked.

Maggie looked to Carol.

'Let me see if anyone can.' Carol said, standing up. 'I'll ask at the gates.'

'Thank you.' Maggie nodded.

Carol left then, leaving the two sisters alone, and Maggie tried her best to keep Beth calm and soothed.

Beth began to pace again, the pain in her lower back and across her abdomen growing.

She paused from time to time as the pain hit her.

'They're getting closer, right?' She huffed, looking at her sister through strands of hair that had fallen loose and were sticking to her face. 'Tell me they're getting closer.'

'Yeah.' Maggie nodded. 'They are.'

Beth sucked in a new breath as another one hit her, lasting longer this time. Unable to stop herself, she cried out, doubling over.

The door to the house opened and the sisters turned to see Glenn and Enid, both looking worried and covered in motor grease.

'Hi,' Maggie gave her husband a weak smile.

'Do you need anything?' Glenn asked, a little wobbly.

Beth cried out again, and Enid took a large step backwards. Maggie shook her head.

Beth began to walk again, much slower now as her back ached. Maggie kept by her side.

After a little while, Carol reappeared.

'I've asked them at the gate to get word to The Kingdom.' She said as she walked in. 'They can't promise anything, but they'll try.'

Beth nodded, in too much pain to speak. She moved over to the back of the sofa and held on to it, trying to find a position to stand comfortably. A slow wetness began to make itself known between her legs, and she glanced down as the sensation grew – within moments clear liquid had begun to seep down her legs, and she stared in shock as more began to flow into her boots and around her feet, pooling onto the wooden floor beneath her.

'Oh!' Maggie gasped; Carol was by her side then too.

'That's your waters breaking.' Carol said softly. 'It's definitely happening. Let's get you upstairs.'

'I – I can't.' Beth cried, staring as the liquid pooled around her boots and began to spread across the floor.

'You can.' Carol said firmly. 'Come on.'

She took one of her arms as Maggie took the other, and they gently turned her towards the stairs.

Maggie turned and said something to Glenn as they left, but Beth did not hear it, too focussed as she was on getting herself to the stairs. Every step was painful, and she began to cry out as they forced her up them. Carol and Maggie soothed her, but she hardly heard them.

They took her along the hallway and into the room at the end, the room she had always shared with Daryl.

They led her in and led her to the edge of the bed.

'We're going to need towels.' Carol said, gesturing to the chest of drawers. 'See if there are any.'

Maggie did as she was told, managing to find some as Carol leant down and pulled Beth's now damp boots from her feet.

Beth stood back up, unable to sit comfortably.

'You need to relax, love.' Carol said, but Beth shook her head.

'I can't.' She said.

Maggie returned with towels, which she laid on the bed, and Carol tried to manoeuvrer Beth back over to them, but she shook her head.

'I need to stand!' She snapped.

'Okay, okay.' Carol said. 'Hold on to me then.'

Feeling a little self-conscious, Beth held onto Carol's arms, steadying herself.

Pain hit her again, and she cried out, tightening her grip on Carol's arms.

'I need – I need Daryl!' She shouted.

'I know. I know.' Carol said. 'He'll be here.'

Beth ground her teeth against the pain, sweat slicking her body. Slowly, she allowed Carol to lead her over to the bed, but she refused to lay down; instead she positioned herself up on her knees with her arms on the headrest, her head resting on them. The other women allowed her to stay like that, understanding her need for comfort. She cried softly, her groans hiccuping whenever another contraction hit.

The room around them was beginning to darken as the sun started its descent, and without Beth seeing, the other two women looked to one another. They could only hope Daryl would get here in time.

Beth cried out again, fidgeting on the bed.

'Carol,' Maggie said softly. 'What do we do here?'

Carol took a deep breath.

'Beth, can I take a look?' She asked.

'No!' Beth cried.

'I need to see how far along you are.' Carol said seriously. 'We need to know when you should start to push.'

'You're not – you're not a fucking doctor!' Beth cried.

'No, I'm not, but I have had a baby.' Carol said. 'I know a little.'

Maggie gently eased Beth away from the wall and on to her back; between them they were able to get her into a position where they could check things out. Beth whimpered and cried as sweat dripped down her face.

'Okay I think we're close.' Carol said, standing up. 'If you feel the need to push, Beth, you push.'

'No.' Beth growled. 'I need Daryl here.'

'Beth, honey, you may not have any choice.' Maggie said softly. 'If you have to push, you have to push.'

'No!' Beth screamed as her stomach contracted again. She drew her knees up and cried.

'You're doing just fine.' Carol said. 'It will be over soon.'

'Not – not without Daryl!' Beth cried.

Maggie looked at the other woman, their own faces pale.

Beth screamed.

'Beth!' Maggie cried, grabbing her sister's hand and holding it tight; she winced as Beth squeezed back.

Suddenly the door opened and a sweating Michonne appeared.

'He's on his way!' She said. 'He'll be here soon!'

'Oh thank god.' Maggie cried as Beth screamed again.

Carol dropped down between Beth's legs, gently forcing them apart.

'Beth. You need to push.' She said.

'I'll push – you – straight out of that – fucking – window!' She screamed, her eyes screwed shut.

Carol just chuckled lightly.

Beth screamed and Carol yelled at her to push.

Unable to stop her body from doing what it needed to do any more, Beth pushed.

The pain flared up like fire within her and she pushed down on it, pushed it away. She growled between her teeth then screamed into the pain.

'Good!' Carol shouted. 'Good!'

Beth gasped for air, clutching her sister's hand.

'Come on,' Carol coaxed. 'Again.'

Beth shrieked until her throat felt raw as she pushed again, her body seeming to know what to do every time her stomach contacted. The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before in her life; her head felt hazy and heavy, her eyes stung. She drew her knees up and pushed, screaming for what felt like eternity.

She was just catching her breath again when the door opened and a terrified looking, ghostly pale Daryl appeared. Beth screamed.

Daryl was there then by her side, pushing her wet hair from her face and grabbing her hand Maggie didn't have.

'I'm sorry.' He said. 'God I'm so sorry.'

'No time for that!' Carol said. 'It's crowning! Push, Beth!'

Beth cried with everything she had and pushed, feeling the most intense burning below as her baby began to emerge. She shrieked out in agony, trying to close her legs against the burning, but Carol held them open, shouting at her to push, push, again.

With Daryl by her side, her hand covered by both of his large ones, she pushed, screaming louder than she had ever screamed, until she tasted blood in her throat.

Suddenly she felt a rush and a pull, and then Carol was pulling a bloodied bundle away from her.

A moment, a heartbeat of silence, and then a cry.

Beth sobbed, gasping as Carol wrapped the baby up in one of the clean towels and brought it over to her.

'You've got a daughter.' She said, and Beth looked up at the older woman through hazy eyes to see her own face was wet with tears.

In weak, shaking arms, Beth took the small, wriggling bundle and held it to her chest, gasping.

She stared down at the screwed up, slightly purple face, and her head swam.

She was mildly aware of people speaking, of Daryl beside her, his face close to hers.

'Yer did it.' He said quietly.

Beth turned from her baby and into the face of the man she loved; tears lined his own pale face. She began to laugh.

'We have a baby!' She laughed, turning back to look at it. At her. At her daughter. 'We have a baby daughter.'

The daughter in her arms squirmed, then blue eyes opened a fraction and looked up into Beth's face. Beth felt the rush of debilitating love all of a sudden, and everything poured out of her as she began to cry.

–

The hours after the birth were a blur; a mix of people came and went, and Beth spent the time in exhausted pain. A man named Siddiq, who Beth did not know but of whom Rick spoke highly, checked her out and made sure she was okay, and she was allowed to stay in her room with Daryl and their baby.

Beth was tired and her body hurt in ways it had never hurt before, but she found her brain was too wired to sleep; it was dark outside by the time she was left alone with Daryl and their daughter. She lay in the bed – clean sheets having been put on at some point – half propped up with pillows. Daryl lay beside her, his hand playing gently with the tiny hand of their daughter, who lay in Beth's lap.

'I've never seen anything so small.' Beth said softly, looking down at the tiny bundle of white in her lap.

She looked too small to be real; her face was still a little swollen, but her blue eyes were open, looking up at Daryl. She had a swatch of dark hair across her head, but it was hard for Beth to pinpoint either herself or Daryl in her little features. She was still too… new.

Her tiny hand grasped awkwardly at Daryl's finger, her whole palm barely the size of his thumb nail. Her own nails were miniscule, barely there little pearls at the tips of her strangely wrinkly fingers.

Beth couldn't stop staring at her. The baby fidgeted slightly, kicking her small legs out in her white baby-grow. Her little lips opened to reveal pink gums and a small pink tongue, which she poked out for a moment before settling.

'She don't look real.' Daryl said, his own voice hushed.

'No, she doesn't.' Beth agreed. 'I can barely believe she is. She's ours.'

She looked up at Daryl, and after a moment he looked at her.

'You – you thought about what you want to name her?' Daryl asked.

'Why me?' Beth chuckled softly. 'She's your daughter too.'

Daryl visibly swallowed at that; he shrugged.

'I ain't no good at that kind of stuff.' He said.

'You named a baby before?' Beth asked him.

Daryl shrugged again.

'No.' He said.

'Neither have I.' Beth said. 'We'll do it together.'

'Alright.' Daryl said. 'You got any ideas though?'

Beth thought for a minute, her eyes drifting back down to the baby in her lap; she hadn't really given names a great deal of thought. She wanted something that meant something to her, but something pretty, too.

'I was thinking something like Hope or Faith.' She said slowly. 'Because that's what she is, to me. Faith for the future. But it feels a little on the nose.'

'Feels biblical.' Daryl said, rubbing his palm down one side of his face.

Beth shrugged.

'I guess.' She said. 'My daddy was a man of God.'

'True.' Daryl said, then he leant down a little to take one of the small, covered feet in his hand. 'But her daddy ain't.'

Beth laughed – she guessed she couldn't argue with that.

'I guess we think about it.' She said. 'We don't have to name her right now.'

'No.' Daryl said, grinning as the baby kicked out at him. 'We got forever.'